Trident Z Neo RGB corrupted SPD

[IceWolf]

Hello
My memory got corrupted by ASUS AURA Sync (included in the latest version of Armory Crate). From what I've read I thought the issue was fixed by updates but it seems it wasn't.
The SPD is not read correctly from none of the four sticks - sometimes not at all - but somehow they work for now (I checked them with Thaiphoon Burner and AIDA64). It's less than 2 months since I bought them, is there any way to fix the SPD myself and avoid returning them to RMA? Because that will take a while leaving me without a functional PC. I've written to G.Skill EU and international tech support but I received no answer at all. I think a correct SPD dump file will fix al the issues without all the fuss to send the sticks back tot he store.
These are screenshots taken after refreshing the SPD (just a few seconds between) and a link to a video (with the difficulties and errors both Thaiphoon and AIDA encounter when trying to read SPD) I have uploaded to YouTube.
https://youtu.be/BIqYGosVYYI

[IceWolf]

LOL
Scratch this, I realized some of Armory Crate services were still installed and running so after uninstalling the whole package using ASUS uninstaller, the SPD are ok.
Strange thing though, I thought once corrupted there's no possibility to revive them by just uninstalling AURA.
Is there any way to ensure they won't get corrupted or the only way is to keep AURA and Armory Crate off my system?

[emissary42]

Is there any way to ensure they won't get corrupted or the only way is to keep AURA and Armory Crate off my system?

The SPD is not actually getting corrupted, but the read out process gets affected if there is other software/services running in the background, that access these same hardware resources. That is why you should always make sure to close/halt all those applications/services before reading the SPD with Aida64, Thaiphoon Burner or RWe.

To actually damage the SPD via software (conflicts), you would have to first allow SPD writes in the UEFI, which is why that is not recommended (and disabled by default).

[IceWolf]

The SPD is not actually getting corrupted, but the read out process gets affected if there is other software/services running in the background, that access these same hardware resources. That is why you should always make sure to close/halt all those applications/services before reading the SPD with Aida64, Thaiphoon Burner or RWe.

To actually damage the SPD via software (conflicts), you would have to first allow SPD writes in the UEFI, which is why that is not recommended (and disabled by default).

From what I know, AMD motherboards don't prevent SPD writing and if you want the RGB settings changed from default, there is no other way to do it but through SPD in some cases. Like mine. G.Skill themselves require SPD Writing to be enabled, just take a look here, the notes for their own RGB software.
https://www.gskill.com/dl_tbl/triden...lnotes_eng.htm

SPD can be damaged by RGB applications. And there is no way to block it on X570, from what I know (but I may be mistaken).
By the way, those errors weren't always present, for a while AIDA and Thaiphoon were able to read and show the correct SPD data, same as now.
So... in short, I tend to agree with you, about SPD not being really corrupted in this case, but the real danger exist as SPD writing is required and enabled (by default) for controlling RGB on trident Z Neo and any bug in the RGB application can damage the stick. On the other hand, there is no other way to disable the services that control the RGB once installed than manually, one by one. There is no option for stopping the application itself.

[emissary42]

If there was actual SPD corruption, it would be permanent and would consistently reappear after every reboot with the same checksum(s). From what I can tell it really has not been an issue for quite some time. If you are curious, you can check for write protection status with Thaiphoon Burner. Fully unlocked it looks like this (dev hw):


Also the link clearly states that enabling the setting is only required for "some Z370 and ASUS X99 motherboards", so it is very rare exception.

[IceWolf]

If there was actual SPD corruption, it would be permanent and would consistently reappear after every reboot with the same checksum(s). From what I can tell it really has not been an issue for quite some time. If you are curious, you can check for write protection status with Thaiphoon Burner. Fully unlocked it looks like this (dev hw):


Also the link clearly states that enabling the setting is only required for "some Z370 and ASUS X99 motherboards", so it is very rare exception.

It seems they are protected with Reversible Software Write Protection.
It's strange, I also had some odd freezes in that period, while I was watching Netflix: the whole PC froze, RGB lighting too, but I could move the mouse and click things, but nothing really started or closed, not even Task Manager. The whole system had to be hardware restarted and Windows registered no error in Event Viewer. Sometimes the BIOS couldn't show me the memory settings after these freezes. I begin to think all is about the new beta BIOS (AGESA 1202 and USB fix for X570) for my motherboard. All issues started relatively after the update. The false corruption and the freezes.
Well, every day you learn something new. To be honest this is my first AMD system after 15 years of Intel and the first one with RGB (I hated RGB for most of the time).

[emissary42]

Well, it is probably time to downgrade the BIOS and wait for the next release then...

[Muppet]

If you have rgb software running for memory sticks those interfear with readout of spd information can be read corrupted even tho they are not, i suggest exiting trident z rgb software un syncing memory inside armoury crate etc even exit other tools that can read out memory temps for example then check thaiphoon if still reads corrupted data try restart first and then do all of this again before checking, it should read out just fine.

[IceWolf]

If you have rgb software running for memory sticks those interfear with readout of spd information can be read corrupted even tho they are not, i suggest exiting trident z rgb software un syncing memory inside armoury crate etc even exit other tools that can read out memory temps for example then check thaiphoon if still reads corrupted data try restart first and then do all of this again before checking, it should read out just fine.

Yes, I found out this in the end. Strange thing, Thaiphoon was able to read SPD correctly for a while, with RGB software installed.

[Muppet]

Yes, I found out this in the end. Strange thing, Thaiphoon was able to read SPD correctly for a while, with RGB software installed.

You defiantly do not want any rgb software to run while reading spd in thaiphoon burner it can come out randomly, as example if i ran openrgb + keyboard visualizer hwinfo64 would randomly report temps on dims like 10c or 50c etc while its running, also first startup of hwinfo64 my rgb effects pauses when it tries to read spd data cos it checks temps and timings, i always have hwinfo64 open for rainmeter on my desktop, but i do close it, then un sync memory in armoury crate close icue just cos the software ask and it reads everything just fine on each stick if software is open it can read 2 sticks just fine and another 2 sticks are sudenly unknown if had that before its not cos its corrupted in this case it just cant read it cos another app is accesing it already, if that could cause issues im unaware of, if the rgb can only be controlled by writing data to spd then that would be really bad way of doing rgb, imagine ssd that stores data only has limited write cycles i would imagine the same if not worse for a spd chip, i would rather imagine that rgb chip reads certain code of memory for software control and completly ignores spd when it detects certain code whatever, however i dont know how rgb works, think g skill just uses a rgb standard that has similar drivers that few other vendors also use altho i could be wrong.
Surely hope this is not gonna happen to me, if it does im sure to contact g skill and try fix it my self first with permision and if not possible then rma, hopefully i be vaccinated if that time comes, cos i do not dare set foot outside right now.

[IceWolf]

You defiantly do not want any rgb software to run while reading spd in thaiphoon burner it can come out randomly, as example if i ran openrgb + keyboard visualizer hwinfo64 would randomly report temps on dims like 10c or 50c etc while its running, also first startup of hwinfo64 my rgb effects pauses when it tries to read spd data cos it checks temps and timings, i always have hwinfo64 open for rainmeter on my desktop, but i do close it, then un sync memory in armoury crate close icue just cos the software ask and it reads everything just fine on each stick if software is open it can read 2 sticks just fine and another 2 sticks are sudenly unknown if had that before its not cos its corrupted in this case it just cant read it cos another app is accesing it already, if that could cause issues im unaware of, if the rgb can only be controlled by writing data to spd then that would be really bad way of doing rgb, imagine ssd that stores data only has limited write cycles i would imagine the same if not worse for a spd chip, i would rather imagine that rgb chip reads certain code of memory for software control and completly ignores spd when it detects certain code whatever, however i dont know how rgb works, think g skill just uses a rgb standard that has similar drivers that few other vendors also use altho i could be wrong.
Surely hope this is not gonna happen to me, if it does im sure to contact g skill and try fix it my self first with permision and if not possible then rma, hopefully i be vaccinated if that time comes, cos i do not dare set foot outside right now.

It was indeed an issue with RGB and SPD corruption but it seems it was solved months back and SPD is now protected anyway. You can check if it is with Thaiphoon.
I am vaccinated but I don't want to RMA if the memory is ok.
Beside that you can always send them through a courier, you don't need to really go outside.

[Muppet]

It was indeed an issue with RGB and SPD corruption but it seems it was solved months back and SPD is now protected anyway. You can check if it is with Thaiphoon.
I am vaccinated but I don't want to RMA if the memory is ok.
Beside that you can always send them through a courier, you don't need to really go outside.

so mine says software write protection i dunno if that means its always safe, i hope so i would worry less if G skill told them self they provide spd flash tool + spd file for exact kit i have in case happened to me, and if that was not possible i be able return kit for rma trouble free, i really did not want to get a corsair kit, cos with g skill technically works in armoury crate without needing to install trident z software, to bad armoury crate is a mess right now worked perfect last month then they broke it this month.

[IceWolf]

so mine says software write protection i dunno if that means its always safe, i hope so i would worry less if G skill told them self they provide spd flash tool + spd file for exact kit i have in case happened to me, and if that was not possible i be able return kit for rma trouble free, i really did not want to get a corsair kit, cos with g skill technically works in armoury crate without needing to install trident z software, to bad armoury crate is a mess right now worked perfect last month then they broke it this month.

Mine are RSWP - Reverse Software Write Protected and they are most probably safe, it seems the safest than this is the hardware protection.
Honestly, I would want a stand alone RGB software I don't need all the crap ASUS put in Armory Crate. I literally use only the RGB part of the Armory Crate - most of it doesn't work anyway - the driver section is listing only old drivers, the software is useless and the profile/games/rewards are pointless.

[Muppet]

Are there any reports of spd corruption from people that have RSWP write protect ?

[IceWolf]

Are there any reports of spd corruption from people that have RSWP write protect ?

No, from what I know.